Silanes Market

The ‘Enabling’ Characteristics of Silanes in Various End Uses

The silanes market is characterized by a wealth of innovations and tremendous scope of R&D. Below are some of the key end uses of silanes along with their key advantages:

• Transportation: Silanes are seeing widespread use in automotive and aviation components. Silanes-based coatings not only promote durability but also reliability thus reducing overall maintenance costs of components. Weight reduction through the use of silanes in automotive has led to novel component designs, reducing fuel and emissions. Savings accrued with the use of silanes in car amounts to nearly US$125 per car per year
• Construction: Silanes products within the construction sector include a vast repertoire of sealants, protective coatings and adhesives. The seals provided are weather-proof and UV resistant with excellent adhesion enabling novel designs in high glass facades. Besides building energy efficiency, silanes protect building walls from weather damage
• Electronics: Silanes are a key element in the production of electronic grade silicone. Silicon sealants, gels, adhesives and coatings protect ICT equipment and electronic components from shock, contaminants and heat. Thus silanes are paving way for better thermal management leading to the evolution of smaller, powerful and lighter devices
• Energy: Around 90% of solar panels utilize silanes which help in durability and functionality along with electrical insulation. Their use helps in maximizing energy efficiency, decreasing unit costs and increasing the operational life of the solar panel
• Industrial: A huge number of applications in industrial are extensively utilizing silanes such as additives for polymers, anti-foaming agents in pulp and paper manufacturing, hydraulic fluids and mold casting in plastics and coatings. The end result is reduced water use amounting to around 80% at the time of pulp and paper manufacturing.

Preference for Organo Functional Silanes Remains Intact

The Mekko chart below clearly illustrates the prominence of organo functional silanes in key regions. The use of amino silanes, epoxy silanes and vinyl silanes is extremely high in countries such as China. The current pandemic has created innumerable opportunities in countries such as China. The use of silanes in pacemakers are significantly reducing risk of contracting the COVID-19 infection in patients with heart related co-morbidities. They are also enhancing biocompatibility and bio-durability.

Organo functional silanes are also witnessing high adoption in the building and construction sector particularly in regions such as Asia Pacific, MEA and North America. Organo functional silanes when used as silicone additives in a conventional brick façade instead of water emits nearly 13 times less GHG emissions. Silanes based sealants too help to stave off high costs related to commercial building applications.

Within Organo functional silanes, amino silanes is considered to be the largest segment on back of its high functionality in being used as a cross-linker, coupling agent and adhesion promoter. Owing to its high stability and its ability to react well with water, it is widely used in a number of manufacturing applications

Silanes find Prolific Applications in Paints and Coatings

The use of silanes in aviation as anti-corrosion coatings is gathering momentum thus giving this application a heads up over other applications. With developed regions poised as high growth regions for the aviation sector, demand for silanes in these regions is getting an upswing.

Silanes are also offering cutting-edge anti-corrosion in industrial coatings and paint additives. These are then used off-shore drilling, industrial infrastructure and machinery. By enhancing the durability and resistance to chemicals coatings are helping industrial manufacturers to incur considerable cost savings.

Silanes Market Regional Analysis – Asia Pacific to Witness High Growth, North America Closing In

The growth of silanes in Asia Pacific has been pronounced with a flourishing automotive and construction sector in this region. China and the U.S. have cumulatively accounted for ~50% of the market share in the year 2019. The popularity of amino silanes in these countries is soaring on back of its superior performance as a crosslinking and coupling agent.

Although gains in Asia Pacific have been encouraging, North America, led by the U.S., continues to be the largest market globally. The region has shown a high preference for water-borne epoxy coatings in electronics and the use of rubber compounding for fuel-efficient automotive tires. Within the region, silanes are being used as silicone coatings in air bags as well as lubricants and plastic additives.

Marine vehicle manufacturing is gaining immense traction in both North America and Europe. For instance, the use of silanes coatings to prevent fouling in immersed ship hulls as well as other internal and external structural components.

Stringent emission norms have fuelled the demand for eco-friendly coatings that have high abrasion and scratch resistance within the paints and coatings sector of Europe.

Silanes Manufacturers – Strategic Moves towards Green Adhesive Solutions

The market for silanes is highly fragmented with a large number of big and small players. Some of the market behemoths are Dow Corning, Evonik Industries AG, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. Lts and Wacker Chemie AG. At the same time, there are a large number of regional players who are launching highly innovative, sustainable and greener products.

Wacker has been a frontrunner in the production of silanes. The company follows a unique manufacturing process called as the Muller – Rochow synthesis by direct synthesis from silicon and methyl chroride.

Its brand SILRES is a key hydrophobic agent used for the protection of construction masonry. It protects the building against destructive chemical processes and harmful salts. Similarly, Wacker’s silane based emulsions can be diluted with water or incorporated in water-based formulations.

In the summer of 2019, Henkel, a German Chemicals and Consumer Goods company, introduced Loctite Liofol LA 2798 an adhesive for high performance packaging. The unique adhesive foil is completely devoid of toxic epoxy silane and other heavy metals.

In the same year, Chemique adhesives introduced a compound made of polyurethane used in sealing and bonding applications in transport, construction and commercial manufacturing. Dow’s DOWSIL EA-4700CV adhesive is a cutting edge silane adhesive solution for the automotive assemblies.

Silanes Market – A Peek into Circular Economy Developments

Concerns surrounding the toxicity of epoxy silanes have been rife. In Dec 2019, the European Union came out with its ‘European Green Deal’ which lays crucial emphasis on circularity supported by industries. High focus has been placed on value chains in the textiles, construction, electronics and packaging.

The relevance of a circular economy has been highlighted by its ability to drastically cut down on emissions by focusing on the manufacturing processes of silanes thus paving the way for a more sustainable economy. For some time now, adhesives and sealants have been creating highly sustainable solutions. A prime example is that of energy savings which can be seen in the use phase of vehicles and automotive. For instance, light weighting of vehicles and insulation panels in buildings.

Material efficiency is another major step towards sustainability and circularity. Silanes used in adhesives optimize the use of composite materials towards light weighting of automotive and also supporting its applicability in renewable wood for construction.

Reparability and durability are other key considerations enhancing the utility and life cycle of many goods such as conveyor belts and shoes. Thus the shift towards a more circular economy is an important fuelling factor for innovation in the adhesive and sealant industry.

Another major goal has been to move towards safer food packaging solutions. For instance some silanes are highly genotoxic and not sufficiently regulated in their use. More stringent regulations would institute a regulated use of food contact coatings, silicones, rubber, paper and board in combination with plastics.

With more stringent regulations in place the toxicity of certain groups of silanes will be minimized in their impact especially in food packaging solutions.

Silanes Market: Taxonomy

By Product Type

• Organo-functional Silanes
  • Vinyl Silanes
  • Amino Silanes
  • Epoxy Silanes
  • Methacryloxy Silanes
  • Styryl
  • Acryloxy
  • Isocynate
  • Others
• Mono/Chloro Silanes
• Others

By Application

• Rubber
  • Tire Rubber
    • Polyester
    • Nylon
    • Rayon
    • Others
  • Non Tire Rubber
    • Ethylene-propylene
    • Nitrile Butadiene Rubber
    • Styrene Butadiene Rubber
    • Polybutadiene
    • Natural Rubber
    • Others
• Plastics
  • Nylon
  • Polycarbonate
  • Polystyrene
  • Poly Vinyl Chloride
  • Others
• Adhesives & Sealant
• Fiberglass and Composites
• Paint, Ink and Coatings
• Electronics
• Mineral and Filler Treatment
• Surface Protection

By End Use

• Building and Construction
• Oil & Gas
• Electrical and Electronics
• Automotive and Aerospace
• Medical and Pharmaceutical
• Chemical and Other Industries

By Region

• North America
• Latin America
• Europe
• South Asia
• East Asia
• Oceania
• Middle East & Africa